Cool and sassy tips for job hunters using social networks

By Sanday Chongo Kabange

In today’s environment, jobs are hard to come by especially for adolescent youths with little work experience or qualifications. Studies worldwide have proved that close to 80% of youths in urban areas today have access to the Internet. Today’s youth, especially in the hospitality and service industry, are on a daily basis interacting with friends through social networking websites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, Twitter, Tagged or Bebo. It is also a known fact that through creativity and professionalism, one might land one’s dream jobs through such websites.

Human Resource Development Expert, Osward Munalula Simushi offers some tips that can help one stand out from the pack while job hunting using a social networking website.

Creativity
Simushi explains, “Since your profile is supposed to depict your skills, abilities and experience, it is important that users clean up their profile”. He suggests that pictures, commentary and links that could send a wrong message to potential employers should be removed from the profile. He says recruitment agencies are not interests in pictures or content that is tilted heavily towards private life.

Identification
For an employer to notice your profile, it is important that your profile on any social network of your choice is clearly and neatly given a name. In this case, Simushi advises network users to use their full names as identification. Pseudonyms, nicknames or abbreviations do not portray a good picture. They are likely to go unnoticed even if one has very good skills, qualities and abilities. The image to go with your profile should always be decent, clean and your true likeness. Avoid profile pictures of your favourite celebrities or cartoons. Simushi explains why: “Using a picture of a star or cartoon does not give a serious impression about the job seeker. Recruiters will not take you seriously”.

Quality Control
One thing about social networks is that they allow you to have as many friends and make as much commentary as possible. It is therefore advisable that you have a control mechanism that will sieve the good, the bad and the ugly. An impressive profile can be spoiled by the commentary that is posted by friends. Always watch out who is posting comments, and making suggestions about what groups you should join on social networking websites. If possible, accept only friends that will help build your career. Always be mindful of the groups you join or the invites you accept. Joining certain groups can be fun and exciting but can also be very harmful . Avoid posting commentary that will create the wrong impression about yourself. Always think smart and make judgements that will leverage your opportunities. Abusive, derogatory or over-exposed pictures on your profile will not go down well with possible employers.

Stand Out
There are millions of people who use social networking websites for different reasons. For you to be spotted, you should regularly update your profile, highlighting any latest professional achievements you have attained. If you have special skills or abilities, use these to ‘speak’ for you on your profile.
“Job seekers should ensure that they keep their profiles simple and straight forward. We have a technique we call KISS - Keep It Straight and Simple – which highlights only your professional achievements and that which is relevant to your job search or potential career,” advises Simushi.

Expand your horizons!
Sometimes those with less professional experience may depend only on a social network profile to be noticed. However, recruiters do not only go online to look for candidates to fill a position. It is important for you to keep looking out for career opportunities in a variety of mediums, including newspapers and trade magazines. Don’t just wait to be contacted. Find time to contact employers who you think could be interested in your services. Simushi advises to only contact companies whose websites or contact details are verified. You can verify the credibility of a website by reading their About Us” or “Contact Us” sections.

Cool and sassy tips for job hunters using social networks

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